Former Nigerian internationals Garba Lawal and Mutiu Adepoju have praised the Super Eagles for their impressive outing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, following the team’s third-place finish at the tournament.
Speaking with Brila.net, Garba Lawal highlighted the unity and collective effort within the squad, stressing that every player contributed to the team’s success.
According to the former winger, the Super Eagles’ bronze medal was a product of strong togetherness and shared responsibility.
“Football isn’t tennis. Everyone contributed their own quota, including those who came in from the bench,” Lawal said. “It’s a team sport, a team game. I appreciate every one of them. They were fantastic and did their best. That’s true team spirit.”
Mutiu Adepoju, also reacting to Nigeria’s campaign, praised the tactical influence of head coach Eric Chelle, noting that his adjustments played a key role in the team’s strong performance.
“It was a good tournament,” Adepoju said. “Even though we didn’t get to the final, the players played very good football. The coach made some tactical changes which had a big impact and helped the team. The key now is to continue with the same vibe and energy, keep improving, and make the players perform even better.”
Nigeria finished the tournament as the highest goal-scoring side and lost only one match in normal time.
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Their only defeat came via penalties against Morocco, underlining a largely consistent and competitive campaign.
Both Lawal and Adepoju are respected Nigerian football legends. Lawal featured at the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, won Olympic gold in 1996, and represented Nigeria at four AFCON tournaments.
Adepoju earned 48 caps, won the 1994 AFCON, and played at three World Cups (1994, 1998, and 2002).
